Film record card system

ABSTRACT

An information-storage system comprises a diazo-reproducible film-record card and a receptor or copying card treated with diazo compounds and carrying a strip of blank film also treated with diazo compounds. The reproducible film record card may be of the type adapted to be processed at high speeds by automatic tabulating or sorting machines and may comprise a sheet form card composed of transparentized paper stock having at least one cutout or aperture formed therein for receiving a strip of film containing a microimage and means for retaining the film within the cutout. The transparentized paper stock has an actinic transmission percentage enabling simultaneous diazo-reproduction of both data printed on the card and the microimage contained on the film. The receptor or copying card may include a card capable of being machine-processed in automatic sorting machines and has an aperture or cutout located coincidentally with the cutout of the reproducible card and mounts a film having a side or face surface thereof coated with diazo compounds and exposed.

United States Patent [72] Inventor Thomas P. Anderson Hubbard Woods, ll]. [2 l] Appl. No. 866,306 [22] Filed Oct. 14,1969 [45] Patented Sept. 14, 1971 [73) Assignee Microseal Corporation Skokie, Ill.

[54] FILM RECORD CARD SYSTEM 3 Claims, 3 Drawing Figs.

[52] US. Cl 355/79, 96/27 R, 96/49, 96/75 [51 Int. Cl G03b 27/02 [50] Field of Search 355/79, 78, 89, 97, 99, 100,102,103, 106, l09;96/27, 49, 75

[56] References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,959,114 11/1960 Brundage 355/l00 3,408,192 l0/1968 Aebi 96/75 3,4l8,ll9 l2/l968 Schwartz 96/75X Primary ExaminerSamuel S. Matthews Assistant Examiner- Richard M. Sheer Attorney-Hill, Sherman, Meroni, Gross & Simpson ABSTRACT: An information-storage system comprises a diazo-reproducible film-record card and a receptor or copying card treated with diazo compounds and carrying a strip of blank film also treated with diazo compounds. The reproducible film record card may be of the type adapted to be processed at high speeds by automatic tabulating or sorting machines and may comprise a sheet form card composed of transparentized paper stock having at least one cutout or aperture formed therein for receiving a strip of film containing a microimage and means for retaining the film within the cutout. The transparentized paper stock has an actinic transmission percentage enabling simultaneous diazo-reproduction of both data printed on the card and the microimage contained on the film. The receptor or copying card may include a card capable of being machine-processed in automatic sorting machines and has an aperture or cutout located coincidentally with the cutout of the reproducible card and mounts a film having a side or face surface thereof coated with diazo compounds and exposed.

FILM RECORD CARD SYSTEM BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 1. Field of the Invention This invention relates generally to microimagery and diazoreproduction and more specifically refers to a diazoreproducible film record card and a copying card for use with the reproducible card to enable diazo-reproduction of data and images contained on both the reproducible card and a filmstrip carried thereby.

2. Description of the Prior Art Ever increasing use of microfilm records and statistical cards in conjunction with one another has resulted in a widespread acceptance of statistical tabulating cards or file cards containing pockets for receiving strips or pieces of microfilm as a means of information storage.

Heretofore, film record cards of that type have not been inexpensively reproduced by known and readily available processes. Most reproducible film record cards or jackets and copying or receptor cards have been composed entirely of expensive plastic films. Furthermore, fiche or jackets or envelope members of film record cards composed of plastic film do not accept ordinary writing means, for example, inks of the type used for typewriter ribbon, carbon paper, ballpoint pens, ink pens, felt-tip pens or lead pencils.

Since film record cards are generally used in very large quantities running oftentimes into the tens of thousands, it is necessary that the card have some sort of indicia carried in or over all or a portion of one or both sides of the card. The indicia may comprise both machine readable and/or retrievable indicia such as punched holes or magnetic ink impressions and visible indicia such as type or handwritten words, numbers, etc. While the series of punched holes or series of ink impressions facilitate automatic sorting of the cards by automatic machines, the typed or handwritten visible information is necessary for visible, human identification of the card. Thus, if the reproducible card does not have ink receptivity, such as for example, as plastic film it is difficult to mark the card in a manner to be visibly identified.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION The present invention contemplates an information storage system including an inexpensive, master or reproducible film record card composed of material having ink receptivity and being capable of prdcessing at high speeds by automatic-sorting machines and a receptor or copying card for use with the reproducible card in a manner enabling simultaneous diazo reproduction of data and information contained on both the reproducible card and a strip of microfilm carried thereon.

The reproducible film record card includes a sheet form card having an appropriate configuration to permit automatic machine processing including a proper thickness and vertical rigidity and defining at least one cutout or aperture for receiving a strip of microfilm containing a microimage. Means such as enveloping members are mounted on the card for retaining the strip of film within the cutouts or apertures. To enable simultaneous diazo-reproduction of data contained on both the card and the strip of microfilm, the card is composed of a material having an actinic transmission rate greater than 25 percent. One such material which also has the necessary characteristics of ink receptivity and rigidity includes transparentized paper stock.

The receptor or copying card includes a statistical tabulating card having a cutout or aperture disposed on the card in a manner to be coincidentally disposed on the card relative to a location of the aperture on the reproducible or master card. A blank strip of film is mounted into the aperture of the copying, card with at least one face surface thereof exposed. Both one exposed surface of the strip of blank film and a similarly facing surfacing of the copying card are treated or coated with diazotype compounds, thereby permitting diazo-reproduction of the reproducible card on the copying card.

By utilizing film-record cards of the present invention, a reproducible master set of film-record cards containing strips or pieces of microfilm having microimages thereon may be produced, and that master set of cards including information contained on both the cards and the microfilm may be reproduced by inexpensive diazo-reproduction processes. Also, punched or magnetic automatic-sorting indicia may be reproduced from the master card to the copying card by simultaneously passing both card through known keypunch machines or magnetic ink printers. Thus, with the present invention, a master set of microimage records may be inexpensively reproduced for use at distant satellite locations.

Thus, it is a primary object of the present invention to provide an information-storage system including a reproducible film record card capable of being machine-processed and reproduced by diazo-reproduction processes onto another film record card.

Another object of the invention is directed to providing a film record card having at least one aperture formed therein and means mounted on the card for cooperating with the aperture to define a pocket for receiving a filmstrip containing the microimage and wherein the film record card has a configuration permitting automatic machine-sorting thereof and is composed of a transparentized paper stock having ink receptivity, slow-aging properties, and an actinic-transmission rate enabling simultaneous diazo-reproduction of data contained on both the card and the microfilm.

Still another object of the invention resides in the provision of an aperture or film record card carrying a blank strip of filn'i wherein similarly facing surfaces of both the card and the strip of film are treated or coated with diazo-compounds enabling copying thereon of data contained on a diazo reproducible film record card.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS In the accompanying drawings, forming a 'part, of this specification and in which like reference characters are em-' ployed to designate like parts throughout the same:

FIG. 1 is an exploded, isometric view illustrating both a master, reproducible film record card and a copying card embodying the principles of the present invention and also schematically illustrating a copying method contemplated by the present invention;

FIG. 2 is an enlarged sectional view of a master or reproducible card taken generally along line llII of FIG. 1; and

FIG. 3 is an enlarged sectional view ofa copying card taken generally along line llllll of FIG. 1.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS Referring to the drawings, an information-storage and retrieval system embodying the principles of the present invention comprises a master or reproducible film card 10 mounting a strip of film 11 containing a microimage and a copying or receptor card 12.

It is contemplated by the present invention that the reproducible card 10 be copied onto the copying card by a gasor heat-type diazo-copying process. The diazo-process is based on the fact that exposure causes diazonium salts to undergo photochemical changes which affect their capacity to form dyes. Dyes are formed when diazonium compounds, or diazotized amines, couple with phenols or aromatic amines in a neutral or alkaline medium. During exposure the diazonium compound undergoes decomposition and is thus rendered incapable of coupling in dye information. The undecomposed diazo-compound may be developed by immersing the paper in an alkaline solution containing a coupler. The decomposed diazo-compound resulting from exposure couples with the undecomposed compound when the paper is made alkaline. Both the diazo-compound and the coupler are coated together on a copying medium but are prevented from reacting due to the presence of an organic acid. Copying mediums or papers of this type are dry-developed by contact with ammonia fumes or gases. in another process use is made of diazo-anhydrides in a neutral medium because these do not couple until they are made alkaline.

Further, heat sensitive compounds may be employed to permit development of a copy by subjecting an exposed sheet to a sufficient heat source.

One important advantage in utilizing the diazo process for reproducing machine-processible film record cards such as the card resides in the fact that the copying or receptor card 12 may be handled in subdued daylight and conveniently stored in a cabinet.

As illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 2, one example of the reproducible film record card 10 comprises a sheet form card configured identical to the usual statistical card and having a rectangular film strip receiving aperture 13 formed therein. Transparent enveloping members or sheets 14 and 16 having a rectangular configuration are mounted on front and rear surfaces, respectively, of the card 10 so that they overlie the aperture 13. The enveloping members 14 and 16 are transparent films having a thickness in the range of about 025 mil to about 0.5 mil. It has been found that polyethylene terephthalate films such as Mylar (produced by DuPont de Nemours & Co. of Wilmington, Delaware, USA.) are ideally suited for use in forming the enveloping members.

The rear-enveloping member 16 may be secured to the rear wall or surface of the card 10 around the aperture 13 and about the entire periphery thereof by means of a suitable adhesive coating.

In order to provide an opening for insertion of the strip of film 11 into a pocket formed between the enveloping members 14 and 16, the enveloping member 14 has a rectangular configuration and is mounted over the aperture 13 so that edges thereof overlie portions of the card defining the aperture, but only three edges of the enveloping member 14 are secured to the front surface of the card by a suitable adhesive as at 15. An unsecured edge as at 17 of the enveloping member 14 overlies the card, and a slight gap may be formed between the enveloping member 14 and the record card 10 at the unsecured edge 17. The slight gap is very small and may not exist at all, depending upon the manner in which the enveloping member is mounted on the card and whether or not the record card is disposed in a completely flat plane.

The unsecured edge 17 of the enveloping member 14 lies parallel to the ends of the card so that when the record card is passed sideways through an automatic-sorting machine the sensing fingers, rollers and the like will not catch on any portion or part of the enveloping member. Although the film record cards 10 and 12, as illustrated in the drawings, include only one aperture as at 13, it should be understood that additional apertures may be formed on the card to receive differently sized strips of microfilm. If additional apertures are provided on the reproducible film record card 10, these apertures would be covered by enveloping members similar to films 14 and 16 with at least one edge of the enveloping members being unsecured, thereby enabling insertion of a strip of film into pockets formed by the additional apertures and enveloping members.

The film record card 10, as illustrated in FIG. 1, has a series of punched holes as at 18 formed by an appropriate keypunch machine. The series of punched holes depict a code which is readable by automatic sorting equipment, thereby enabling the film record card 10 to be automatically sorted and automatically retrieved by statistical tabulating equipment. Also, the film record card 10 includes a typed or otherwise written word or symbol as at 19 to enable visual identification of the film record card and the information or intelligence contained in the form ofa microimage on the strip of film 11. By way of example, the microimage on the film 11 is depicted as a triangle 21 and the written work sample" as at 22 and the visible identification includes the word sample" as shown at 19. It should be understood, that the series of punched holes as at 18 may be replaced by magnetic ink impressions for use with automatic-sorting machines capable of reading magnetic ink impressions.

ln order to prevent jamming in card-sorting machines, the film record card must have certain physical characteristics and must not present any projecting edge which may catch on sensing fingers generally employed in sorting machines. Such automatic-sorting equipment generally includes friction rollers or the like which engage each end ofa card and pull that card through the sorting machine. If the thickness of the card at one end thereof is greater than that at another end thereof the friction rollers may tend to grab one end of the card and pivot the card about that end, thereby jamming the sorting machine with a resultant stoppage of workfiow. Also, tabular cards generally have a total thickness in a range of about 6.6 to 7.4 mils to enable proper processing by automatic equipment. Since tabulator cards are moved through the machines in a sideways manner as opposed to an endwise manner, it is also necessary that the film record card 10 have a sufficient rigidity in a vertical direction, i.e. top to bottom to prevent buckling of the card as it moves through the automatic-sorting machine.

In summary, a card capable of accepting automatic machines processing should have a sufficient rigidity in a vertical plane to prevent buckling, a proper configuration to be processed by the machine, and be capable of carrying and duplicating machine-readable identification, such as a series of punched holes or a series of magnetic ink impressions, as well as visible identification to permit a person unskilled in reading the machine code identify an unsorted card.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the master film record card 10 has a sufficient transparency or actinic transmission percentage for permitting simultaneous diazo-reproduction of visible identification matter as at 19 carried on the card and a microimage as at 21 and 22 contained on the filmstrip 11 and additionally satisfies all of the above-mentioned requirements to enable automatic-machine sorting at high speeds. In a diazo-reproduction process, the material to be copied, such as the master or reproducible card 10, is placed directly over a copying medium, such as the copying or receptor card 12, and actinic light, i.e. light in the visible and ultraviolet spectral ranges by which chemical changes are produced, is passed through the reproducible card to photochemically affect the diazo-compound on the copying card, as schematically illustrated in FIG. 1 by dashed lines on the copying card 12.

For any given diazo-copying machine, the length of time that the copying medium is exposed to the actinic light produced by the machine, the actinic transmission percentage of the reproducible card and the sensitivity of the coating on the copying card determine the amount of photochemical action and consequently, the sharpness and quality of the copy. The National Association of Blueprint and Diazotype Coaters, lnc., (NABDC) 1925 K Street N. W. Washington, D. C. 20206, has established certain standard units for describing the above-mentioned parameters, as follows:

a. Actinic transmission is expressed as a percentage representing a ratio ofa reprint speed ofGP bond to a maximum print speed ofa given material;

b. Sensitivity of the copying medium is expressed as a speed rate or percentage ascertained by comparing a given coated paper to a standard copying paper having a known sensitivity; and

C. Exposure time is expressed in terms of feet per minute indicating a machine speed at which the reproducible and copying medium are simultaneously passed through commercial diazo-printing equipment.

It should be noted that microfilm or film containing microimages has an actinic transmission percentage normally exceeding 75 percent whereas statistical tabulating cards in normal use today have an actinic transmission percentage of approximately 3 percent. Furthermore, overexposure in an attempt to burn out paper grain of the card or through films which do not directly abut the copying medium will result in diffusion of the light and consequently a blurred or faded copy. On the other hand, underexposure causes the printed matter contained on the reproducible card and copied onto the copying medium to be undiscernible from the reproduced paper grain forming the background of the copy.

in accordance with the principles of the present invention, the reproducible card it) should have an actinic transmission percentage of at least 25 percent. That percentage is the minimum which wl;. ermit simultaneous reproduction of visible matter contained on both the card portion 110 and the enveloped microfilm ill, which has a high actinic transmission percentage oftentimes exceeding 75 percent. Additionally, the card material for the reproducible card 110 must have ink and pencil receptivity to permit writing or printing visible identification thereon and should be capable of machine-processing, One such material having the requisite actinic transmission percentage, ink and pencil receptivity, vertical rigidity, thickness and other characteristics permitting processing by automatic-sorting machines is transparentized paper stock.

Transparentized paper stock may be produced by treating a paper sheet with a liquid composition consisting essentially of synthetic, thermosetting curable resin and a curing agent for the resin in a manner similar to that described in Vaurio U.S. Pat. No. 3,140,959, issued on July 14, 1964, and assigned by mesne assignment to Customark Corporation, Appleton, Wisconsin, a corporation of Wisconsin. That patent describes a process for forming chemical watermarks on otherwise finished paper sheets, and it has been found that applying that process to paper-stock material having sufficient rigidity characteristics for statistical tabulating cards results in a transparentized paper stock having ink and pencil receptivity and the requisite actinic transmission percentage or transparent to permit simultaneous diazo-reproduction of data contained on both the card and the strip of microfilm carried or mounted on the card.

One example of transparentized card stock material utilized in an experiment possessed the following properties as compared to that same sheet prior to the transparentizing process:

It should be noted, that the actinic transmission percentage increased from 8.3 to 33.3 percent subsequent to the base sheet being transparentized. Further, the transparentized card stock described hereinabove has a caliper or thickness of 6.9 mils, thereby satisfying the thickness requirements for a material capable of accepting automatic machine-sorting.

An actinic transmission percentage of the filmstrip area of the master or reproducible card may be varied, to a small degree, by varying the thickness of the transparent enveloping members 14 and 16.

In accordance with the principles of the present invention, the copying card 12, as illustrated in FIGS. 1 and 3, comprises a card having a configuration similar to that of the reproducible card 10 and formed with an aperture 26 positioned on the card 112 to directly underlie the aperture 13 on the card iii whenever the reproducible card is positioned directly over and aligned with the copying card 32.

A blank strip of film 27 having peripheral edge portions as at 28 and T49 overlapping peripheral edges as at 3i of the aperture 26 is adhered to a rear surface 32 of the copying card 12 by a suitable adhesive coating 33. The rectangularly configured iilmstrip 27 may be adhered to the rear surface 32 of the card 12 around all four peripheral edges thereof, but for machine-processing purposes it may only be necessary to adhere upper and lower edge portions of the filmstrip to the card.

The copying card 12 is treated or coated with diazo-compounds to form a layer of photochemical material as indicated at 36 extending entirely over a face or front surface thereof. Also, the blank film strip 2'7 carried within the aperture 26 is coated as at 37 on the exposed front surface 38 thereof with diazo-compounds. Thus, both the copying card 12 and the filmstrip 27 carried therewithin form a copying medium enabling diazo-reproduction of information or data contained on both the reproducible card and its strip of film R1. in that manner, an exact duplicate of the reproducible card 10 may be produced by diazo-printing processes.

To obtain acceptable copies, the diazo-compound or photochemical coatings 36 and 37 formed on the copying card 12 and the filmstrip 27, respectively, should have a sensitivity, as expressed in terms of speed rate or percentage, in a range of about 35 percent to 200 percent (NABDC speed rate or percentage). Through experimentation, it has been found that an optimum NABDC speed rate or percentage for both of the coatings 36 and 37 is about percent.

Furthermore, the separate coating 36 on the copying card 12 may have a speed rate, within the acceptable range, different from that of the coating 37 on the exposed front surface 38 of the film strip 27.

The copying card 12 may be conveniently handled in subdued sunlight and stored in normal filing-type cabinets without special precautions being taken to protect the card. Furthermore, the card is composed of relatively inexpensive material compared to cards composed entirely of photographic film or plastic film and commercial diazo-printing equipment is readily available. Thus, the copying card 12 when used in conjunction with the reproducible card 10, provides an economical and convenient means for reproducing a master set of microfilm records.

Although an image of the series of punched holes as at 18 formed on the master or reproducible card 10 will be copied onto the copying card k2 by the diazo-process, the reproduced copying card may be conveniently punched in a manner to form a series of machine readable holes corresponding to those in the master card by simultaneously passing both the master card and the copying card through key punch machines which will form an identical series of punched holes on the copying card 12. A similar process will also automatically reproduce magnetic ink impressions onto the copying card 12.

Experiments utilizing master or reproducible cards and copying cards, both of which were produced in accordance with the principles of the present invention, resulted in acceptable copies at dial indicated, linear machine speeds in a range of about 9 to 16 feet per minute. In particular, the master or reproducible card utilized in one experiment, had 40 percent actinic transmission in the card portions, composed of transparentized card stock, and 75 percent actinic transmission through the pair of enveloping members and image-containing filmstrip disposed between the enveloping members, whereas the copying card utilized in that series of experiments had a speed rate of55 for the coating on the card portion and a speed rate of 40 for the film strip coating. In that experiment, an Ozamatic model 4300 machine sold by Ozalid Company, a subsidiary of General Analine, was utilized, and acceptable copies were produced at dial-indicated machine speeds in a range of about 9 to 16 feet per minute, with the most acceptable copy of data contained on both the master or reproducible card and a film strip carried thereby being obtained at an indicated linear machine speed of approximately 12 to 13 feet per minute From the foregoing description, it should be noted that the present invention provides a master film record card having ink and pencil receptivity and a sufficient actinic transmission percentage enabling simultaneous diazo-reproduction of data contained on both the card and a piece of microfilm carried thereby. The information storage and retrieval system of the present invention is completed by a copying card comprising a card treated with diazo-compounds, preferably having characteristics enabling automatic machine processing and sorting and mounting a blank strip of film coated with diazo-compounds and positioned to underlie strips of microfilm carried by the master or reproducible card. Thus, a master set of microfilm records may be maintained on the reproducible film record cards of the present invention and duplicate copies of the master set of cards may be economically reproduced by diazo-copying processes including simultaneous reproduction of data contained on both the cards and the microimages contained on the strips of film in the master set of cards.

Although minor modifications might be suggested by those versed in the art, it should be understood that I wish to embody within the scope of the patent warranted hereon all such modifications as reasonably and properly come within the scope of my contribution to the art.

I claim as my invention:

1. A system ofinformation storage and retrieval comprising: a reproducible, master film record card composed ofa material having sufficient stiffness to be automatically processed by statistical tabulating equipment and having at least one aperture formed therein,

enveloping members attached to said card and overlying said aperture for forming pockets in conjunction with said apertures for receiving filmstrips con aining microimagcs,

said card material having an actinic transmission percentage relative to an actinic transmission percentage of said, enveloping member together with a film contained in the pocket to enable simultaneous diazo-reproductier of both data contained on the card and microimage contained on the film; and

a copying card having a configuration similar to said master card and forming at least one aperture disposed to coincidentaily underlie said apertures of said reproducible card whenever both said cards are aligned with front face surfaces of said cards similarly facing,

a blank filmstrip underlying said aperture of said copying card means mounting said blank filmstrip on said card, and both said copying card and said blank filmstrip having separate coatings of diazo-type compounds on similarly facing surfaces thereof,

whereby both data contained on said reproducible card and microimages contained on said filmstrip of said reproducible card may be simultaneously reproduced by diazo-printing processes onto said copying card to form an exact duplicate ofsaid reproducible card.

2. A system of information storage and retrieval as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said master film record card material having ink and pencil receptivity similar to that of paper.

3 A system of information storage and retrieval as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by:

said master film record card material having an actinic transmission percentage of at least 25 percent; and said copying card coating and said blank film coating having an NABDC speed rate of about percent. 

1. A system of information storage and retrieval comprising: a reproducible, master film record card composed of a material having sufficient stiffness to be automatically processed by statistical tabulating equipment and having at least one aperture formed therein, enveloping members attached to saiD card and overlying said aperture for forming pockets in conjunction with said apertures for receiving filmstrips containing microimages, said card material having an actinic transmission percentage relative to an actinic transmission percentage of said enveloping member together with a film contained in the pocket to enable simultaneous diazo-reproduction of both data contained on the card and microimage contained on the film; and a copying card having a configuration similar to said master card and forming at least one aperture disposed to coincidentally underlie said apertures of said reproducible card whenever both said cards are aligned with front face surfaces of said cards similarly facing, a blank filmstrip underlying said aperture of said copying card means mounting said blank filmstrip on said card, and both said copying card and said blank filmstrip having separate coatings of diazo-type compounds on similarly facing surfaces thereof, whereby both data contained on said reproducible card and microimages contained on said filmstrip of said reproducible card may be simultaneously reproduced by diazo-printing processes onto said copying card to form an exact duplicate of said reproducible card.
 2. A system of information storage and retrieval as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by said master film record card material having ink and pencil receptivity similar to that of paper.
 3. A system of information storage and retrieval as defined in claim 1 and further characterized by: said master film record card material having an actinic transmission percentage of at least 25 percent; and said copying card coating and said blank film coating having an NABDC speed rate of about 125 percent. 